Convicted murderer Anthony James O’Keefe sentenced in court for fraud

A man found guilty of murdering a Townsville grandmother in 2016 allowed an inmate at Capricornia Correctional Centre to use his phone service to breach a domestic violence order. Here’s what happened to him in court.

A man found guilty of murdering a Townsville grandmother in 2016 allowed an inmate at Capricornia Correctional Centre to use his phone service to breach a domestic violence order, a court has heard.

Anthony James O’Keefe, 38, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on August 11 to one count of fraud.

Police prosecutor Clancy Fox said O’Keefe was an inmate at Capricornia Correctional Centre with Gregory Coulson, who had a domestic violence order preventing him from contacting a woman.

Mr Fox said O’Keefe provided his prison phone service to Mr Coulson, who contacted the woman on an unknown date between April 2 and 6.

Anthony James O’Keefe.

O’Keefe, who appeared in court via video link, said had he known a domestic violence order was in place, he “probably wouldn’t have put the number on it”.

“My friend is now out of prison and I am sitting here before the magistrate due to helping a friend,” he said.

“It is what it is and I am prepared to accept the consequences today.”

Mr Fox said O’Keefe had parole eligibility on November 9, 2036 and was serving life in prison for murder.

O’Keefe was sentenced to life in prison in August 2021 after he was found guilty in the Townsville Supreme Court for the murder of Elizabeth Kippin, 81, who was killed in her Wulguru home on July 26, 2016.

He was also found guilty of trying to kill two others including his friend Brittny Speechly-Faulks who he stabbed multiple times.

Magistrates Cameron Press said he didn’t intend to interfere with O’Keefe’s parole eligibility date.

“I intend to impose a one month term of imprisonment that will run concurrent with your current term,” Mr Press said.

“You need to be careful because ultimately if you keep doing this your parole eligibility date will be put out further.”

Mr Press sentenced O’Keefe to one month prison, concurrent on his life sentence.

O’Keefe apologised for “wasting the court’s time” at the conclusion of the proceedings.